THE KAZAKH RACE OF SINKIANG

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000200210002-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 1, 2013
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: November 24, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRA VELAR MCY REPORT
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY China (Sinkiang Province)
SUBJECT The Kazakh Race of Sinkiang
PLACE
50X1 ACQUIRED
DATE
50X1 ACQUIRED BY SOURCE
DATE OF IRFO&MATION
TMIE DOCUMENT CONTAIN( INPOIMATION A!PECTINE THU NATIONAL DIIENIE
0! TNI UNITED ETATII, 'WITHIN TNI MEANING 0! TITLE II. INCTIIMI 7)E
AWE 7I,1 0! TNC U.E. COO.. AS AMINOID, ITS TRANSMISSION OR WINE.
LATION 0! IT^ CONTENT/ TO OR 11011?? IT AN UNAUTHOIIOID ![PION II
PIONIIITED IT LAM. THE IE TIO DUCT(ON 0! TNI/ TOIM II TIOHIII TEO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
it 1 ; The Kazakh race of Sinkiang is also referred toy both jr S niang and
in Zngligh-language teats on that province, as Kazalc9 Kasak and HarsaM kc?. According
to a 1941 survey they numbered 3189716, or slightly over 8.5% of the total population
of Sinkiang.
2. The origin of the Kazakha is indicated by the name ''gaeakh",z
which means"a fugitive or masterless man who has separated himself from his tribe or,
overlord". Their name was adopted by the Russians, Poles and Mcrainians9 and is
pronounced in an identical manner. The English-language version of this name; hcwsvr:I
changed the Slavic pronunciation of KaAk to Cdasaok.
w ? e-+ ~' , a The Sinkiang l asakhe and the Kamakho of the USSR shared a ors
Kist unto!' * comparatively recent period. They were originally a part of the lll.ue,
ate l ehdldm ant- of Jagatti, who was one of the eons of Jenghis Khan. Than they became'
pact of the Uzbek Xhanate, one of the successor states of the MCorp endowed to Jtldchi,
eldest son of Jenghia. The Uzbek Khsnate, called the Golden lords by the Russians,
suf eased from constant friction among tribal Sultans and Princes. In the sddd,.v of
the fifteenth century two Sultans of he Barak clan, which was the most powerfw.
opponent of the ruling Khan,, left the Uzbek lbazats and migrated to the neilghboring
oits s of igulistan. The I ogull Khan, who controlled the territory from oast of
Tashkent to Deungaria9 hoping to find them allies against his Usbek rivals, gave the
Sultan and their tribal subjects a stretch of grasing lands from north of the River
Chu to west of the River Srry-su. The transformation of this small group into a
national unit was not accomplished until the end of the fifteenth century. The Uabsks
at that time conquered the southern oasis regions of Inner Asia and through close
sontaot 4th the sedentary oasis population, ceased to be pastoral nomads. Several
tribes then separated from the Uzbek Khanate and joined the Kaaakha, whose border was
thus moved far westward into what is today called-the Kazakh steppe.
CLASSIZICATION t OEFID TIAL SECtIM'tITY INFO ION
DISTRIBUTION
DATE DISTR. .4. Nov 52
NO OF PAGES 5 50X1
NO. OF ENCLS.
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SUPPLEMENT TO
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In the sixteenth century the newly formed Kazakh Khanate split into three hordes,
forming a loose federation which united only rarely, under stress of war. Of these
three hordes, it was the easternmost, or the Old Horde, whose grazing lands reached
east of the present Soviet=Chinese border into Sinkiang. During the eighteenth
and nineteenth centuries the Russians began to penetrate into the territory of
the Kazakhs and by the end of the nineteenth century had succeeded in colonizing
the territory of the 'three hordes, except for the easternmost part which remained
under Chinese domination. Even after the border was established many aspects of
the common historical development continued, as the nomads do not respect national
boundaries and migrate back and forth across the frontiers which out through their
tribal lines,.
Leo The language of the Sinkiang and Soviet Sazakhs is identical. It is
the Kazakh language which belongs to the Turkic group of the Altaic family and
is closely related to the other Turkic languages of Inner Asia. The small. number
of literates, mainly within the upper classes and the clergy, used the Arabia,
script. However, since this is not suited to any of the Turkic languages, the
Soviets introduced a Latin alphabet and. in 1940 replaced it by the Cyrillic
alphabet,,. :with the :add.itiovn of a few special letters.
5. ACLI ,m The Kazakh belong to the Sunni, sect of the Islamic faith. Thar were
not converted to Mohammedanism until the seventeenth century Because they are.
wild and utterly undisciplined nomads,, they not only do not have mosque's, but
are by no means strict in their religious observances. Since the conditions of
nomadic life require active kinds of work from both men and women, they . nei-.her?
seclude nor veil their women. They are also lax about the details of the Moelem
dietary laws, except for the prohibition against pork. They frequently n l.se*:.
to circumcise their sons,, do not adhere to the hours of prayer or the sears
of fasting, but are compLeteiy< exathua.iastic in the performance of the feasts.
Worship is a simple matter to them, involving little more than a prayerr s uk: an
while facing the west..
Phva A j ChSC The fierce] rugged and bearded Kazakh tr i.be;ameu pr seent
a very striking appear?ance. They are of Mongoloid type, short and s-c.out, da wk
skin, dark straight hair, black eyes with an epicanthic fold, nose broad at. the
base and of medium facial and body hair. They do not shave on reaching mark= c+i,,
but merely trim the beard along thei ? lips for convenience of eating.
7. Dreams The Kasaksds dress themselves irr., black;, cloth coats with bushy fu: hat
or in inverted sheep skin coats and halmat -shaped hat that also cover the ears
and neck. To their leather girdles a dagger is always attached on the right side
and a leather bag to the left. They are ales readily identified by hig1 'teaied
riding boots. In some instances the Kazakh men and women also wear skull-caps
(tebiteika) which are always either 'black or maroon in color. The women generally
wear long white cotton gowns which fall to the ground and in cold weather are
topped by padded black cotton jackets which reach to the hips, Their head and
nook in covered by white cotton hoods which expose only the face. For ornaments
t
hey wear sings and costly bracelets, often of gold studded .with precious stones.
Evenaan *gt A The noise grazing grounds of the Sinkiang Kasakshe are along ~,ne
border between S,Lnkiand and the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic and in the
Altai region bordering the Mongolian People's Republic. They are the predominant
race in northwestern Sinkiang. From the Takes and Ktanges Rivers, in the l1i
region, they range northeastward to the Chuguahek. region and then southeastward
along the Mongolian border. There are even Iazakhe on the other side of this
border, under the sovereignty- of the Mongolian People's Republic.
4 ,;, ;s Kazakhs generally live in "y rts" all the year around, but some
reside in mud or log cabins during the winter. A yurt is a round felt tent
with a conical roof. It is a home which is easily transportable, commodious;,
cool in summer and warm in winter. Yurts vary in miss from the one-man variety
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to. a. chieftain's 'yurt which may be. from 30 to 40 feet in diameter;.. The structure,
consists of a framework of collapsible .trelliswork about three feet tall, pr four
to, five feet when not unduly extended., This trelliswork is set up in a circle,
leaving .an opening for the door frame. Next, arched pole,s., resembling.riba.,of
,a huge;: umbrella, are lashed all around to the top of the trelliswork and these
curved ribs,, instead of meeting above in an apex., are socketed into a. wooden
ring about a yard across. The roof., of arched poles is covered with large pieces
of felt,.about a quarter iAch thick and made of wool or camel's hairy and to the
corners.of.these are attached long, gayly colored bands. The latter. serve to
fasten the felt pieces to the framework and add a decorative touch to the under
roof., The.oPen ring at the top lets light and air into the yurt and allows smoke
to escape. A flap of felt can be drawn back and forth over the aperture by ropes,
thus the draft:can be regulated or in rain the interior made watertight.,The
door-'frame also has .a felt blind which can be rolled up in the daytime and secured
at night.,
As you epter a yurrt, to the right of the door is a reed matting. enclosure which
serves as a storeroom for milk and cream and also affords the women a swell area
of privacy.. The family possessions are stored along the back wall, set up off
the ground on a low platform. Here are the trunks which contain the family heir-
s looms of embroideries and gold and silver trinkets.. On top of the trupka are
piled'.gay-colored comforters while on the ground,. beside the platform,, are the
silver-trimmed wooden saddles? Attached to the trelliswork, all around the inside
of the yurt,...are whips, bridles, ropes, girdles and other saddle trappings.
10. En i?a, Hobitag The diet of tl;e nomadic Kazakh tribesmen consists of approximately
50% milk, 40% most and 10% cereal. They eat absolutely, no vegetables and are
considered to. be medium eaters. The Kazakhs.are strong meat-eaters, being,very
fond of ?roagted flesh in any form. Horse-meat, sausage is their chief delicacy.
The ?poorer, people live more on. milk and cheese than on mutton, while wealthier
hard-owners subsist mostly on mutton. The horse, formerly important in wars is
honored in Kazakh folklore for its beauty, bravery and faithfulness. The meat
of white ?horses , is considered a specially delicate dish, while sheep are most
esteemed when they have a yellow head and white body. Their daily drink is tea,
with , and they also consume a great deal of FQkumiste, which is fermented mare's
milk,, Kumis serves as their wine and has an alcoholic content of from two to
three per pent., The wealthy Kasakhs keep herds of mares for the specific purpose
of producing this drink.
. Kazakha are careful to. wash their hands before every meal, if they can find no
water for ,that purpose, they use clean earth. It is also a fixed custom with
them to wear a bat when eating. Failure to do so is considered discourteous
and if on e of ;the tribesmen is offered food when he has no hat handy he will
Biways, do, his beat to improvise some head covering before eating. If nothing
else is available for that purpose:, they even put a piece of straw in their hair
"'AM act of ?courtesy before partaking of food. They eat with their hands, but
first out the meat with their knives. Like other nomads, they parade the beast
chosen for slaughter no that their guest may see that he is being given the beat
they have. When a stranger comes to their yurt he must at once be offered food
and if no fresh-cut meat is to be had the host must explain to his guest the
reasons, for"folling to provide it. Otherwise, the guest has the right to complain
to the head-man of the oommuxaity, who will reprimand tht host severely.. and even
inf'liot punishment upon him foe; having disgraced the encampment in failing to
11. Ocaunatienea The Kazakh people are extremely strong and rugged paistoral nomads,
but she very lazy. Outside of tending cattle, sheep, goats, horned cattle,
horses and camels, they often, do not have any other occupation. SQ some, when
winter season comes, take to the life of a langer. A few steal cattle and horses
and, many become bandits, killing travellers and taking their goods. For this
is only an outgrowth of their milittary talent and since they have interest in
tilling the soil, they lack any other way in which to use it. One of their
subsidiary occupations is 'The trapping of wild animals and selling their pelts.
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- 4-
They trap by conventional means and also use hawks and hounds. The.Kazak?s excel
the Mongols in their knowledge of hawks and highly prize these great birds.
.They carry these valuable hunting falcons on their wrists, which are padded to
.,protect them from the fierce grip of the claws. The arm bearing the bird is
supported by a wooden crutch which rests in the rider's stirrup.
Like other nomads, the, Kazakhs do not wander aimlessly. Summer pastures belong
collectively to a group of families forming a clan and identified by a common
ancestor, whether real or fictitious. These pastures lie wtthin a large territory,
in which jurisdiction is claimed by the larger unit, the tribe. Winter quarters
mare '.commonly belong to a single family, often the "large family" of several
generations living together. The chief migrations are in spring, from winter
quarters to summer pastures, and in autumn, from summer pastures back to winter
quarters.,. The most hazardous migration is in spring, when herds, are weak after
the winter, when lambs are being born and when spring blizzards may cause .heavy
losses. Good winter quarters are much harder to find than good summer pastures.
Shelter and food must be in close combination, hence the soarcity,of, suitable
winter, quarters rather than the abundance of summer pastures.. determines. the total
population capacity of a nomad territory. In practice, the wealthy Kazakh families
acquire the determining political power within clans and tribes and secure the
best, pastures. Rich men sometimes hire Uighura,or Chinese tv cultivate grain
for them-on suitable land. A Kazakh's wealth is measured by the number of sheep
and goats that he possesses. Sheep and goatb are the economic staple and serve
as.the.two units of exchange value.
Disputes over winter quarters are the most common cause of quarra'ls between
clans and tribes. Similarly, the fact that good winter quarters acre often on
land.which is suitable for cultivation is the most common cause of friction
,between Kazakhs and colonizing, Uighur and/or Chinese farmers.
12. C~
2aaarxls, Silence ,among the Kazakhs and other nomads, is a prelude to
?greetingo This is a; fine point in their social etiquette. After having,
approached one another in silence, the Kazakhs shake hands and then
embrace each other round the waist. Although they are bearded they do
not stroke their beards, as a sign of greeting, as do the Uighurs. 1.ders
kiss their child'en when meeting them.
Justice is administered by a meeting of the entire community, which appears
,to gather without any special, summons as soon as the whisper goes round that
some wrong has been done. Minor offenses are punished by fines and sometimes
cattle is confiscated by the order of the head-man. The
r's
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ff
th
.
e
en
e o
death penalty is only exacted for premeditated and unwarranted murder and
.is followed by the distribution of his property among the community.
+1av Marriage is strictly forbidden between,those who ware raised on
the same milk. A marriage broker arranges the financial aspects of the
nts
ar
th
O
h
e
e p
nce
er.
affair and finally brings the two parents toget
have clasped hands, there is no going back on the bargain. The bridegroom
then goes to fetch his brie. An interesting custom is that the father shall
not meet his daughter-in Saw until at least two years after, the ceremony.
Should they most by aooident, the girl must turn.her back and cover her
face with a handkerchief,
Polygamy is practiced by all who can afford it. A Kazakh man is allowed,
four wives, but it is always understood that the first will have full
control of the management of the home. The other wives are held in the
position of servants, but treated well.
Divoree: The Kazakhs consider divorce disgraceful. If divorce appears
unavoidable, the relatives of both parties meet and discuss with astonishing
frankness and impartiality as to who is in the wrong. A husband may not
divorce his wife without paying her a sum of money in proportion to his
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with the father and that. the mother loses all he ? rights to them,
e
h
a was &%.u 04M is Judged to
-be ' ustified in her' complaints. she receives nothing. - They have a 'iced
wealth. If the woman asks fora divorce
v th
Burial W t s After a manse death his widow is not free to remarry as
she ~ohoosea,' for .her husband's family paid good money for her and she is'
theirs by-right of purchase. Therefore, she is usually marri
d
ith
e
e
er
to her husband's brother or to a cousin. This practice is not in accord
with the principles laid down in the-Koran, but the most that-Isla'm has
been able to achieve in this matter is to prevent compulsion from being
applied to the widow. !She may remain single if she desires, being' then
without any obligations to her husband' a relatives'. Sickness is treated'
by reading-of appropriate scriptures on the part of the priest. Deith
.is accepted with complete resignation, and there are no c'eremonies save
a, general mourning.' It is their custom to burry the dead immediately, fbr
the spirit of the dead man may exercise an evil influence while his-body
is above ground.. The corpse is washed in 'clean water and wrapped in a
white cloth,,?after which it is laid-out with the head pointing to'the south
'and the face towards the west. A tomb is then hastily hollo tedand`the
body.is committed' to the earthy a passage 'from the Koran being. solemnly
read. The ritual is-quickly ended. It is well suited to a people nose
life is hard and who are always on the move.
When the dead man is laid in the grave it is the custom for his widow to
tear at her face with her nails, scratching till she draws blood. ' This
shows her respect and love for.'her husband and signifies her wish that no
other man shall ever enjoy .her beauty: However, it is amazing how quickly
the-scars heal, and it is usually not long before she is married once again.
In spite of this fact the ceremony is never omitted, for any woman failing
,to soar her beauty would be jeered at by all the community and condemned as
incapable of true affection.
13, Good ?=sl.i ?t, j ems The Kaz,akhs although wild and often ?driven''to diehor~es y under
pressure of great want, are a simple, courteous, hospitable, generous and lovable
people. They are very cleanly, in their habits. Avery morning immediately upon
rising they take up the water-pot to wash up, being particularly oariful ' to
wash the undisclosed portions of the anatomy. Kaaakhs excel at horsemanship
and children five and six years old have been known for their riding abil,ity.
There are ' none at the age of ten who do not have unusual talent such as enables
them -to ' tell the sickness- of a horse, to control- the 'animal,' to stand 'on its
back, -to bend from the horse to pick up articles from the ground, to straighten
up quickly and above all, to ride as though glued to . the anima19 Their greatest
sport and lone is horse racing. The Kasakhs live very much in the present,
caring so? little for the 'past that there is not-word in their vocabu.tary for
great-grandfather.
14. 24d 9123JUMA For the most part'Kasakhe are peaceful and honest, but oc asion-
allyp: the young men reel it necessary to prove their-manhood. They will then
turn to banditry, plundering far and wide and allying anyone who resists them.
Such outbreaks are a major nuisance in northern Sinkiang.- Thy often become '
intoxicated, on kumis and .are- contemptuous of cities, usually- causing a great
deal :of? trouble when they visit'fairs. Since they are nomads and their life
is governed by a continual search for fresh pastures, the Kazakho are generally
considered to be the shiftiest people in Sinkiang.
lg". Own e7 ~++e l;s The moot serious problem facing the nomadic peoples of
Sinkiang, including the Kazakha, is overpopulation:- The available pasturi l land
has become increasingly scarce and inadequate due to a constant increase in the
Kazakh and other nomadic population of Sinkiang. The Chinese authorities have
added to their misfortunes- by allowing the colonization of some of their terri-
tories by Uighur and Chinese farmers. Since Kazakhs refuse to understand, or
accept,, national boundaries and because of the hardships' inflicted on thou in
the USSR, there has been a small but steady drift of Kasakhs from the USSR into
Sinkiang. As a result, grazing lands throughout Sinkiang and especially between
Chuguchak (Tahoheng) and Kuidja (Ining) are overcrowded. Since 1920 several
attempts have been made to drive back these unwantedimmigranto, but the task
proved hopeless and the drift goes on. Therefore, the future holds nothing but
increasing hardship for this primitive and free people.
end-- C? FIDE NI'IAL/SELL TY INFORM&TION
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